This collection of entries is from February 08, 2002.
Opening Ceremonies are over, the games have been declared open. Great to see/hear Jim McKay at the Olympics. I don't ever remember a commentator being "loaned" from one network to another to act as a correspondent. Unfortunately, Jim didn't fit in really well. I think that his time has unfortunately passed. VERY emotional watching the WTC flag being brought into the Rice-Eccles Olympic Stadium. Dead silence - a reverence that I didn't expect. And then the National Anthem by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir started off quietly, hauntingly, adding to the moment, eventually building to a great crescendo. A very good tribute to September 11 (it couldn't be ignored) without taking away from the Olympic spirit of the games. I thought the entertainment was good. Loved the Native American pieces. How cool is it to have George the 43rd declare the games open from the middle of the US athletes instead of some podium or private box?! (Even cooler is later watching figure skater Sasha Cohen handing the president her cell phone for him to say a few words to her friends or family!) Having Mike Eruzione and the rest of the 1980 gold medal-winning U.S. hockey team do the lighting of the cauldron was a good choice (I think). Is the cauldron water-cooled? I thought I saw water pouring down the insides of the glass. U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!...
UPDATE: Yep, that's water in the Olympic cauldron - the cauldron was made by WET DESIGNS, the guys that made the fountains in front of Bellagio in Las Vegas! The Washington Post had what I thought was an even-handed review of the Opening Ceremony coverage.
Just three hours away from the 2002 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony. Actually, I can't wait. I've spent time in and around Salt Lake City, and I really wanted to go to this Olympics, but it just wasn't meant to be. I love all of the pomp and circumstance surrounding the ceremonies. And an actual benefit of unemployment? Being able to watch the MSNBC/CNBC live coverage during the day! OK, it's a little lame, but I have to put some kind of positive spin on the situation! I mean, I'm not a graphic designer/web designer getting a great job after such a long "vacation" (read: unemployment).